Originally, wallcoverings were simply paper printed with a design and suited for being pasted to a wall or other surface for decorative purposes. In the 1920's vinyl wallcover was introduced which had a backing of woven fabric, i.e., scrim, that not only facilitated hanging of the paper, but also provided strippability characteristics not previously provided by the printed papers. Unfortunately, such fabric backed vinyl wallcover was substantially more expensive than the simple printed paper and exhibited physical disadvantages relating to permeability and adhesion. Subsequently, wallcover manufacturers began to use paper and then nonwoven material as backing for their vinyl wallcover products. See e.g., Stevens et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,643 (July 17, 1984).
However, woven-backed vinyl wallcoverings in general are more desirable to employ than the paper and nonwoven backed vinyl wallcoverings because primarily they have greater durability, for instance, as observable as increased tear resistance, and as good washability, and secondarily they have potentially enhanced aesthetic capability, for instance, as observable as an appropriately more striking and deeper three-dimensional embossing, therewith. Also, such wallcoverings as the paper-backed wallcoverings may be perceived as being "cheap" by consumers.
Moreover, proper pasting especially by do-it-yourselfers can be most critically related to the vinyl wallcovering adhesive itself. One of the necessary properties of the adhesive for such application is capability of adhesive capacity retention even after a long soak-time. A second and highly important requirement for the prepasted wallcovering adhesive is slip. A third requirement is the relative ease of removal of the wallcovering, i.e., its strippability. Cost of the adhesive is of practical concern also. See e.g., Bomball, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,783(May 14, 1974).
Nonetheless, introduction of acceptable woven-backed vinyl wallcoverings has been met with failure by others even somewhat recently. This is particularly so with respect to prepasted do-it-yourself type woven-backed vinyl wallcoverings, which have been beset with significant difficulties to include poor technical performance.
Accordingly, the problems are truly not so simple that they may be overcome merely by employing an ordinary adhesive. See, e.g., Bauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,424,546 (July 29, 1947). This is particularly so with respect to providing a good prepasted woven -backed vinyl covering for interior walls and so forth.